PS 3549 
.1505 



1907 



























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ONE INDIAN SUMMER 

DAY 



BY 



EDITH MAY ZIMMERMAN 



WITH DRAWINGS 



BY ADA BEARD McCAHlLL 



COLUMBUS. OHIO 

VANCE'POLAND COMPANY 

PRINT 



U3RARY of CONGRESS? 
Iwo CoBtes Received • 
JUN 21 190/ ) 






Uopyncht Entr\' 
XRSl> >? XXC, NO. 



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COPY b. 



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Copyright 3 907 





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Prelude 

4^HINK of autumn, or, as well. 

Late autumn, glorious Indian summer; 
On its weird beauty and pathos dwell ; 

'Mid its mazes turn to a newcomer. 
You start and gaze askance ■. 

You, too, feel her strange, sweet spell ; 
With every graceful move, perchance, 

Does tidal admiration swell. 





You intuitively yearn, and not in vain, 

Old and new problems here to solve; 
Strange the mingling of pleasure and pain, 

This mystical creature can involve. 
Spell-bound, forgetting you are rude. 

Watching her varying emotions 
With autumn graces so imbued. 

Sympathizing unconsciously with her notions. 





Such expressive features has she, 

Eyes so thoughtfully deep and blue- 
More of heaven than earth can see. 
Gaze on ; give credence to the view. 






Unterlude 

14 OW in the moving panorama came a change 

With quick step in seeming agitation 
A man came within range 

Of vision, wrapped in meditation. 
With noble brow and piercing eye, 

Features e'en though stern, yet tender; 
One on whom you could rely 

For justice, eager a service to render. 





As DeLores from her reverie woke, 

Started back and the path surrendered — 
From loosened clasps her cloak 

Falling, the intruder caught and tendered. 
She as courteously acknowledged it ; 

While falteringly, with voice so broken, 
He begged, **Do me a favor far infinite, 

Let your decision be my token. 





I presume you see my agitation, 

Its cause permit me to unfold ; 
Maddened by a rival's exultation, 

My conflicting emotions you behold." 
DeLores raised her hand imperiously, 

And, in tender, eager tones, replied : 
"Spare details, and seriously 

Learn what jealousy will betide: 






Oft a quivering heart decideth 

Love to give a crucial test, 
As jealousy with love abideth, 

Claiming its v^eapon 'gainst unrest- 
Crying 
Further uncertainty I cannot bear, 

Maddening visions cannot face; 
A doting rival Til ensnare 

To hasten a laggard lover's pace. 





Pleading 
Jealousy quickeneth love anew, 

Kindleth oft a slumbering fire, 
Scattereth doubt e'en as the dew 

Without trace; worthy its hire — 
Concluding 
All to stake on just one throw — 

Tender, hesitating love ariseth, 
Changed to adamant, and lo ! 

Her late trembling throes despiseth- 





Shrieking 
Wild words to unheeding air, 

For jealousy hath no sense of reason 
And thinketh evil. Ah! beware, 

Too often, doubt is vilest treason. 
Presto! 
The drama in lurid glare ablaze. 

All is at riot in the rival's field. 
See the Explorer of jealousy gaze 

On vanished trust, her truest shield. 





Realizing" 
Jealousy begets suspicion 

Fans love-flame to fever heat — 
'Mid its roar without remission 

Embers of tenderness retreat." 
With bowed head and folded arms, 

Silently her listener stood. 
In answer to weird alarms 

A red fox scurried through the wood. 





Then while she paused, a Hngering ray 

Of sunshine gHnting o'er her head — 
"Thanks ! I hope I may 

Reclaim my own/' he said. 
"Let me transmit, ere I return, 

Congratulations to the man 
Whom you may one day learn 

To love — as one your nature can. 




I agree with Gladstone's attestation — 

To be womanly is the greatest charm of woman/ 
In mannish roles and avocation 

She becomes a creature wild, inhuman. 
Ere I pass on let me direct you to your right, 

A picture there you will behold 
Your fitting companion piece, in mellow light. 

Watch the rosy dawn of love unfold." 





The picture proved worthy DeLores' scrutiny. 

While she paused, fearing to intrude, 
Admiration and wonder in mutiny, 

Vieing with curiosity, for an interview sued. 
Under her steady, insistent gaze, 

The maiden on the rustic seat 
Enveloped in the autumn haze 

Rose, as though to retreat — 





A soft glow o'er lip and brow 

An all-absorbing, living joy, 
The crown of love's dream glittering now 

In burnished rays, without alloy. 
Twas plain to those who faced this view 

That love in triumph here stood guard. 
Jealousy, they instinctively knew, 

Love's fulfillment here did not retard. 





The maiden turned to greet her prince, 

Who, suddenly, with eager force 
Appeared ; a tower of strength he, since 

Mysterious love o'ertook his course. 
For who dare deny love's sovereign power, 

Who has not known its thrill ? 
While Cupid from his leafy bower 

Sends arrows where he will. 






In silent and sympathetic appreciation 

Another observer of this woodland scene, 
Beholding DeLores, became all animation. 

In his life had come the moment supreme. 
He had known DeLores as a child — 

Had watched the delicate maid 
Seek foreign climes, and with mild 

Patience, battle 'gainst sufferings' raid. 





Groping in darkness, the spiritual light 
Had, through her gentle admonition, 

To live for good, and fight for the right. 
Brought him widespread recognition. 

Yes, he remembered her generous pleas 
For mercy, with justice to all mankind: 

''If we were tossed in their tempestuous seas 
Cause and effect might be clearly defined. 





How dare we judge another's deeds — 

Know we the temptations they have resisted? 
While justice takes the stand and pleads 

The strength of forces 'gainst them 'listed. 
If we acknowledge our Father here 

We know He will welcome us home. 
The comfort of prayer hath no peer. 

Peace beckons from the starry dome." 





Remembering these words of DeLores, 

And, in tender appreciation, stepping to greet her. 
The stranger paused, as doleful barks in chorus 

Rent the air. A sudden whir and stir — 
Simultaneously the report of a hunter's gun ! 

Oh, strange, weird, inscrutable fate ! 
Bathed in the red glow of the autumn sun, 

DeLores lay dead by the rustic gate. 





^ostlude 

¥ NVOLUNTARILY we came 

Into this world of weal and woe — 
Our mission, port, aye! very name, 
Knew not. Continuing to grow^ — 
We 
Involuntarily obeyed the dictates 

Of our own sweet wills, 
And faced, dismayed, alarming rates 
For sugar coats o'er bitter pills. 





While 
Involuntarily proud of self, 

Strong in our own imagined strength, 
Sought we fleeting power, fame, wealth. 

Arduously attaining our goal at length. 
Suddenly 
Involuntarily, helplessly, shrank we back ; 

Dead sea-fruit our achievements, all; 
Our tortured soul on human rack. 

Struggled for submission to God's call. 





Even 

Involuntarily, we longed for rest, 
Yet God seemed far, far away; 
Then something whispered, "I attest. 
Peace be vouchsafed — ^^surrender — ^pray." 
Unannounced 
Involuntarily opened love's illumined way — 

Enabled with love's eyes to see. 
And through heart communion, say — 
Faith claims oft, sweet victory. 




m ,a 1907 



